Filling feeler device for looms

ABSTRACT

This device is a filling feeler mechanism for textile looms and consists primarily of a housing with guide means for a springloaded finger which when a bobbin is emptied, will move a trip wire which will trip other mechanisms of the loom so as to cause the loom to proceed to eject the empty bobbin and replace it with a bobbin full of filling.

United States Patent 1 1 Phillips 11 3,759,301 1 Sept. 18,1973

1 1 FILLING FEELER DEVICE FOR LOOMS [76] Inventor: Herman L. Phillips, 231 Brashier St., Griffin, Ga. 30233 [22] Filed: July 21, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 273,832

3,062,243 11/1962 Lee et a1 139/281 Primary Examiner-l-lenry S. Joudon Att0rney-Herman L. Phillips [57] ABSTRACT This device is a filling feeler mechanism for textile looms and consists primarily of a housing with guide means for 'a spring-loaded finger which when a bobbin is emptied, will move a trip wire which will trip other mechanisms of the loom so as to cause the loom to proceed to eject the empty bobbin and replace it with a bobbin full of filling.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures N 30 /6) /0 Z/ Z6 27 FILLING FEELER DEVICE FOR LOOMS This invention relates to filling feelers for textile looms, and more particularly to an improved filling feeler for textile looms.

It is therefore the primary purpose of this invention to provide a filling feeler device which will function effectively in comparison to feeler devices of the prior art which included a spring attachment which did not always provide enough resistanceto the feeler finger in its forward and lateral movements to prevent the feeler tip from slipping laterally along the bobbin in the shuttle before the filling was depleted, especially with a wide variety of delicate yarns. The result of mechanisms of the prior art cause the loom to proceed in bobbin changing, resulting in ejecting the partially filled bobbin from the shuttle, thus causing a large amount of waste and expense Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the type described which will be of such construction, so as to provide a simple means of obtaining better resistance to the finger feeler in its forward motion as to where the feeler tip will have less tendency to slip laterally along the bobbin in the shuttle, before the filling is depleted.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the type described, which will include a spring on a spring guide which will be positioned in front of the finger arm on the feeler finger, the spring assuring better balance on the feeler finger on its forward and rearward movement, the arrangement also applying an adequate amount of tension to the feeler arm to prevent the feeler tip from slipping laterally along thebobbin in the shuttle with an ample supply of filling.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the type described, which will have the spring positioned in such manner, so as to enable the feeler finger to move straight in its forward movement, without bending the finger or turning the complete feeler to a right angle, and the device will utilize a single toothed feeler tip, thus preventing cutting and marring of fine and delicate yarns..

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a filling feeler device for looms which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the present invention shown in elevation with the cover removed there from for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 2 is similar to that of FIG. 1, but showing the lateral movement of the finger member;

FIG. 3 is an inside view of the housing cover shown in elevation; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical view of the spring guide member shown removed from FIG. 1, the device being shown in elevation.

According to this invention, a filling feeler device is shown to include a housing 11 in which is carried a spring guide rod 12, the lower most portion being received within the opening 13. Guide rod 12 carries a coiled spring 14 and is provided with an elongated opening 15 there through, which freely carries finger arm 16 having a conical ended tip 17 for a purpose which hereinafter will be described.

The semi-circular head 18 of rod 12, is carried within the arcuate portion 19 of member 20. The threaded opening 21 through device 10, provide a means for receiving suitable fasteners (not shown) so as to hold cover 28 and mount device 10 on the loom (not shown). The arcuate end 22 of arm 16 extends out of opening 15 of rod 12 and engages the periphery of projection 23 of member 20, the projection 23 serving as a fulcrum for arm 16.

The filling 24 of bobbin 25 is engaged with by the tip 17 of finger arm 16. An oscillatable trip wire 26 is freely and slidably carried within opening 27 of housing 11 and ss moved outwards by finger arm l-6..Housing 11 of device 10 includes a cover 28 having an opening 29 which aligns with opening 27 of housing 11 for forming guide means for trip wire 26.

It shall be noted that surface 30 of member 20 within housing 11, provides stop means for finger arm 16 which retains said finger arm in perpendicular line contact with the filling bobbin with which said arm is adapted to co-operate to detect the presence or absence of filling thereon.

In use, as long as the tip 17 is engaged with an ample supply of filling on the bobbin 25 of the shuttle, the finger arm 16 will proceed in its forwardly and rearwardly movement, and will not move outwards until the bobbin 25 in the shuttle has emptied and the tip 17 contacts the empty bobbin 25. When the above mentioned occurs, the trip wire 26 being urged outwards, will acti vate the bobbin change mechanism of the loom thus ejecting the emptied bobbin 25 and replacing it with a bobbin full of filling.

It shall also be noted, that the spring 14 of rod 12 will automatically reposition finger arm 16 against the stop surface 30 of member 20 within housing 11.

What I now claim is:

1. A filling feeler for looms comprising; a housing carrying a finger arm having a tipped end portion, a rod providing guide means for said finger arm and spring means providing pressure against a portion of said finger rod, said rod and spring being carried within said housing, a member stationarily secured within said housing and including stop means for positioning said finger arm to provide perpendicular line contact with a filling bobbin with which said arm is adapted to cooperate to detect the presence or absence of filling thereon, said member including bearing means cooperating with the lower end portion of said finger arm, said housing mounting a trip wire which, upon the deflection of the absence of filling on said bobbin is acted upon by said finger rod.

2. The combination according to claim I wherein; said housing carries a cover plate and includes an opening through which said finger arm extends with its tip portion in position to be engaged by a filling bobbin, the filling finger is bent at substantially its midpoint so that its lower portion extends substantially perpendicularly to said tip portion and is freely and slidably carried within a slot provided in said rod, the end of said lower portion is arcuate so as to conform with a perpheral surface of a projection forming said bearing means on said member; said member, said cover and said housing having openings therein to accomodate means securing same in position and to said loom.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said spring is mounted about said rod with one end said member and wherein said housing is provided with an opening which receives the opposite end of said rod whereby said rod is retained in position. 

1. A filling feeler for looms comprising; a housing carrying a finger arm having a tipped end portion, a rod providing guide means for said finger arm and spring means providing pressure against a portion of said finger rod, said rod and spring being carried within said housing, a member stationarily secured within said housing and including stop means for positioning said finger arm to provide perpendicular line contact with a filling bobbin with which said arm is adapted to co-operate to detect the presence or absence of filling thereon, said member including bearing means co-operating with the lower end portion of said finger arm, said housing mounting a trip wire which, upon the deflection of the absence of filling on said bobbin is acted upon by said finger rod.
 2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein; said housing carries a cover plate and includes an opening through which said finger arm extends with its tip portion in position to be engaged by a filling bobbin, the filling finger is bent at substantially its midpoint so that its lower portion extends substantially perpendicularly to said tip portion and is freely and slidably carried within a slot provided in said rod, the end of said lower portion is arcuate so as to conform with a perpheral surface of a projection forming said bearing means on said member; said member, said cover and said housing having openings therein to accomodate means securing same in position and to said loom.
 3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said spring is mounted about said rod with one end pressing against a portion of said finger arm and the other end against the base portion of said housing.
 4. The combination according to claim 4, wherein said rod is provided with a semi-circular head portion at one end which is received in an arcuate portion of said member and wherein said housing is provided with an opening which receives the opposite end of said rod whereby said rod is retained in position. 